


White Gold

by CapturedMoon



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Aquaphobia, Business Trip, Claustrophobia, Conventions, F/M, Jewelry, Kidnapping, Las Vegas Wedding, Marriage of Convenience, Oil, Panic Attacks, Slow Burn, Violence, mining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25873414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapturedMoon/pseuds/CapturedMoon
Summary: Sunspear passed like a vein of gold as Brienne watched from the window of the taxi.But Brienne knew better. This city was nothing but pyrite—fool’s gold.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Comments: 54
Kudos: 95
Collections: Jaime x Brienne Fic Exchange 2020





	1. The Twist

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EleanorHugo](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EleanorHugo/gifts).



> For EleanorHugo, who prompted - Sunspear is the Westerosi equivalent of Las Vegas. During a work trip, quiet, studious, loner Brienne winds up married to her loud, obnoxious and spoiled son of the company, Jaime.  
> It was also mentioned EleanorHugo likes angst and slow-burn, which is something I do not think of when it comes to a Vegas style wedding. So, I tried my best to make this the best fic I can for you without it becoming some Hangover knock-off. Enjoy~
> 
> Author has no knowledge of mining, ore extraction, or trade shows and conventions, so let's pretend all information is accurate in Westerosi standards. Please enjoy :)

Sunspear passed like a vein of gold as Brienne watched from the window of the taxi.

The capitol of Dorne. The great walled city that glittered amongst the desert sand and stood out brilliantly against the bright sky and large white clouds that encased the slender Spear Tower and the domed Tower of the Sun drew you in with it is sparkling buildings, promises of victory and seduced those with its tales of power.

But Brienne knew better. This city was nothing but pyrite—fool’s gold.

The great capitol that was the creation of Nymeria’s War was now a world of vices and unlimited seafood buffets. The city promotes itself as the ‘Entertainment Capitol of Westeros’ and the closest one will get to certain activities without having to travel to Essos. History was covered up with gawdy hotels and luxury apartments, fashioned in an obnoxious effort to catch the eye of any tourist with the money to spend.

It now touted itself as a top destination for gambling, shopping, fine-dining, entertainment, nightlife, and now for luxury hotels… which, unfortunately, led to them becoming a top destination for business conventions. Hence, what brought Brienne to this desert wasteland with window dressings.

Brienne looked away from the window, her large and calloused fingers playing with the steel and lapis lazuli bracelet on her right wrist.

Just business.

This would be the second time Brienne would have to spend a weekend in this city not on her own stag and copper. She almost didn’t make it out the first time.

“Ma’am, we are here,” the driver’s voice interrupted. Shaking the darkness from her mind, she again looked out the window to a blinding light.

The Sandship was a triple 5-star luxury hotel at the heart of the innermost wall, a part of the city known as The Snake. Its twisting roads that once were a labyrinth of narrow alleys, homes, and bazaars now showcased casinos, water fountains and drive-thru septs. Emerging over The Snake was the aptly named “Sandship,” glittering with yellows, reds, and purples, and designed to resemble the sail of a ship.

Stepping out from the car, Brienne tried to collect herself. Thanking the driver as he handed over her single piece of carry-on luggage, she gave him a tip from her own wallet. Lannister Group Co. Ltd. didn’t generally allow tip write-offs over 15% anyway.

Inside the hotel was just as bright and shimmering as the outside. An explosion of color, it brought images of a contemporary Dorne fantasy. A giant fountain, a kaleidoscope of color and patterns, greeted Brienne on the mezzanine as she got on the escalator to take her to the front desk. Only an environment of the top ornate grandeur could host the year’s biggest mining and jewelry conference.

A mixture of machinery and gems, Bounty of the Earth Trade Show or BETS was the industry's premiere gathering, where industry networks meet each year to review market trends. New technology for the mining world was revealed. The event gave the jewelry industry opportunities to discuss the future of jewelry designing and retailing. Additionally, it allowed for whisperings of gossip during mixers and cocktail hours—Hearsay of mergers, acquisitions, hostile takeovers in the world of ore extraction and design. Most scandalous of all that chatter was who was cutting corners where and at what cost—environmentally and where human labor was concerned. That always seemed to get a gleam in the eye of the storyteller, much to Brienne’s revulsion.

Brienne grew up knowing she would become an inhabitant of the realm of mining. Tarth, for all its proclaimed natural beauty and riches, was a poor island with very low prospects for its inhabitants. Tourism was a nonexistent industry, both historically and for vacation. For any man who wanted to stay on the island they could be one of three things: a fisherman, a rancher, or a miner. The women could marry one of those men.

After her brother had drowned at sea, Brienne now feared the water. While she enjoyed chasing after the sheep in her youth, she could not find herself watching them chewing on grass all day much fun. And, while very much a woman with romantical interests in men, the gods did not grant her with a face or body to pursue a husband.

No, they forced the path of a miner on her. Wide shoulders, thick thighs, and strong arms—her body was a machine for a pickaxe and shovel. And, if that were not enough, a distorted face, thick neck, and large hands that fare better hidden in a dark cavern digging for gems rather than adorned in them. The fates were further sealed for her when her brother drowned and she was named successor to Evenstar Marble LLC, the family company and main money-maker of the entire Tarth economy.

On the second level of the hotel, the staff were all beautifully dressed in modern interpretations of classic royal Dornish servant outfits. The women’s almost immodest dresses were drapey and flowed as they lead guests to their rooms or offered them coffee and tea. The men had bright outfits to compliment the room, their dark hair perfectly styled and lithe muscles bulging as they carried luggage. Brienne bit her lip and looked around nervously. She always felt out of place, too large for a perfectly sized world, but this place was extremely out of her comfort zone. Just check into the convention, get her badge, find out what hotel she got placed at and get out of here, she thought. Maybe order room service on Lannister Company’s bill tonight and skip the opening mixer.

Next to the front desk was a large banner, “Welcome BETS Sunspear Attendees!!!” with just as equally beautifully dressed people signing in fellow attendees at a makeshift table. Brienne got in line and couldn’t help but glance around, hoping but also dreading to run into someone she knew. A wave of déjà vu hit her as she recalled it was now 5 years since she first laid eyes on _him_. It was in this very same lobby, waiting in line with her father for their passes for the weekend.

She had just graduated from Winterfell University a few months before, bringing home a degree in Mining Geology. In these more advance times, education was important in keeping up in the competitive world of ore extraction. Machinery and technology could unearth 100 times the amount of material in an hour that it would take a team of the most skilled men a whole week. But, the aggressive use of the machines could be too much for the land to handle sometimes. Evenstar Marble was in a sticky situation between wanting to keep their workers and keeping the integrity of the land.

“Next!”

Brienne shuffled up to the woman before remembering her luggage and apologetically running back to grab it, pulling it back with her to stand awkwardly in front of the lovely Dornish woman.

“Um, Tarth… B. Employed by Lannister Group Co. Ltd.”

The Dornish woman looked her up and down with an appraising eye before typing the information into the large computer. The printer next to it went off and she skillfully grabbed the papers, stacked them, stapled them, and placed them neatly in a folder. She then placed a badge and lanyard on top of the folder and held it out.

“Here is your badge for the BETS Convention, Ms. Tarth. Inside is all the information on this hotel, all our amenities offered for the event, the schedule, and the map. The mining equipment showroom is off-site this year, but there are shuttles every 5 minutes. You are on the 15th floor and the keys to your room are inside. Please have a great time.”

Brienne blinked. “Uh, excuse me? What hotel am I staying at? You can’t mean this one?”

The Dornish woman nodded, seemingly done with this conversation, and already waving the next person in line up. “Yes, this one. You are with Lannister Group, yes? Everyone I’ve checked in today for them is stay at the main convention hotel.”

Fucking rich Lannisters.

Brienne tugged her carry-on away from the check-in counter before she threw the folder back at the woman. Marching over to the railing overlooking the flamboyant fountain, she let the death grip on her luggage go as well as a loud sigh.

One large hand on her hip and one running through her chin-length hair, her feelings begin to go wild. Why was she even here? She was a nobody for this company, but they were putting her up in one of the world’s most expensive hotels. The room cost for this weekend would cover an Evenstar Marble miner’s annual salary.

Catelyn’s words begin to make their way into the chaos of her thoughts and that is when she forces herself to open her eyes and focus on the colors on the water fountain. Purple to red to orange…

 _He_ wouldn’t. She trusted _him_.

To yellow to blue to green…

Green. Like the finest emeralds, staring at her as he came up the escalator. And that sense of déjà vu not only hit her again but knocked the breath from her lungs.

“Hello, darlin’,” he winked, passing by her without another word to go to the check-in table.

_Jaime._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Sandship Hotel is 100% based on the Burj Al Arab Hotel, both inside and outside (fountain included).


	2. Hardwire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five years earlier, events are set in motion in Sunspear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To paraphrase the words of the great Philip J. Fry: Now you all are trapped in a book I wrote. A crummy world of plot holes and spelling errors.  
> Joking! (Maybe). Please enjoy the journey to the past!

_Five years earlier._

Flawless emeralds flickered across the room at her. The owner of the gems hadn’t even said a word and already Brienne wanted to crawl back into her cave and never emerge, like the troll she was often called. He didn’t need to, with those eyes gleaming in delight from a face made for a fashion magazine—square jaw, golden curled hair, and perfect teeth flashing in a cutting smile.

“It’s quite impressive, isn’t it Brienne?”

“Huh?” Brienne broke from the trance with the beautiful stranger and looked up to her father, one of the few people she could _actually look up to._ At 22-year-old, she hoped 6 foot 5 inches was where her body decided to finally stop growing. “What is impressive?”

“The hotel, they just finished building it,” he supplied, raising his brow and looking over her head to see what had caught her attention. From the corner of her eye Brienne could see the annoying beautiful man was still there, but now his attention was on a group that had joined him. They were shaking hands, laughing, and trading business cards before a woman with the same color of hair approach him. He wrapped his arm around her thin waist before they left the lobby together. “It definitely fits the world of gold, silver and gems.”

Brienne scoffed. “It completely misrepresents what the actual Sandship was. It was known for being a dumpy and ugly keep.” A keep she had felt a certain kinship with, truth be told. Coming to Sunspear for the first time, she was really looking forward to seeing the ruins of a great House from the ancient history of the Seven Kingdoms.

While Brienne knew fate dealt her the hand of mining and ore for her future career, it couldn’t dictate her hobbies and interests. Since she was young, Brienne had been drawn to the history and tales of knights. Even with her punishing schedule for her major in university, she always managed to add some history classes as a motivator. Even now, despite coming to this convention as a representative of Evenstar Marble LLC, Brienne wasn’t going to let the opportunity to check out some of the more historical places in this neon-infested city go to waste.

Her father hummed in acknowledgment, but she knew he had no interest in her hobby. It would be something she would just do on her own, like most things in her life.

After getting their badges for the convention, her father led her straight to where the opening night mixer was being held. They had already dropped off their luggage at their cheaper hotel just off The Snake, about a 15-minute walk away.

Evenstar Marble was not poor by any means, but they were no Lannister Group or Stag’s Silver. Marble was actually a very expensive ore to purchase and marble from Tarth was some of the most highly valued in both Westeros and Essos. The company also had several quartz, clay, and other mineral mines, but it was marble that kept the company and the island’s economy thriving. It was marble from Tarth that helped build the new keep in King’s Landing after the Dragon Queen had burned it down following the war in the North. Tarth marble probably even decorated the offices and buildings of the other mining moguls and CEOs.

And now she was to meet these people and… network.

Brienne could feel sweat already beginning to form under the collar of her fancy new shirt. It didn’t matter she had spent the entirety of her first month’s paycheck on this tailored pantsuit that actually fit or that she found a mascara that gave her a hint of eyelashes without turning them into one large clump, Brienne knew this was not her place in the world of mining. She was the cave troll that belonged underground while the more beautiful and bolder traded and showed the precious materials.

“D-Dad,” she trembled. But the plea for help had barely left her mouth before her father bellowed out a hearty laugh and walked up to a large man Brienne only knew from the news and rumors.

“Robert Baratheon! It’s always a pleasure to see you,” her dad greeted the CEO of Stag’s Silver with a handshake and a slap on the arm that was just as enthusiastically returned. “I always love when BETS is close to the Stormlands, and this hotel is simply incredible!”

“Sunspear is always worth the trip. I don’t know why we don’t just vote to have it here every year, but you know those Lannister bastards would throw a fit,” Robert rolled his eyes, already slightly unbalanced from the amount he clearly had been drinking. A tumbler of whiskey in his meaty hand spilt over as he dramatically looked over his shoulder, as if looking for someone before leaning in closer. “I would know how much they bitch over anything, too. I am married to one and it’s a pain in the ass, let me tell you,” he stage-whispered. 

Selwyn cleared his throat uncomfortably, then looked over to Brienne and smiled, seemingly happy to find a way to change the subject as well as a segue to introduce his heir. “Robert, I am sure you remember Brienne? This is her first time coming to BETS as a representative of Evenstar Marble.”

“Oh! Um, nice to meet you, Mr. Baratheon!” she stuck her hand out, hoping he didn’t mind how sweaty it had become. She had actually met him before, but she doubted he remembered…

“Oh, of course! You are Renly’s little friend—well, not really _little_ now, eh—from high school.” Brienne flinched slightly. Well, it seemed he did remember… She slowly lowered her hand as it seemed he was too lost in his drunken memories to see that she had even offered it. “Yes, I remember him saying that some punks used to call you Clementine and that you punched their lights out! You are even bigger now; I can’t imagine the looks on their faces had you taken them on presently,” he chortled, more of his drink sloshing out of his glass. 

Brienne could feel the heat from the intensity of her blush as memories came flooding back. “Oh yeah, well… you know.” She cast her downward watching the drops of alcohol fall onto the expensive carpet and wishing this conversation—this weekend—was over.

“He is here, by the way—Renly, that is. He absolutely refused to go into the mining side of the business, but we’ve developed a partnership with the House of the Rose Jewelry. He administers the line we have with them. Fits his… _passions_ better.”

Brienne blanched at the interpreted meaning. The large CEO threw back what little of his drink was left and patted her dad on the shoulder and said he was off to get more whiskey before his harpy wife found him.

Several uncomfortable moments of silence passed between Brienne and Selwyn before he broke the tension. “If it makes you feel any better, the first time my dad took me to a networking event, the first CEO he introduced me to recognized me as the ‘no-good boy who he had caught kissing his daughter’ and had chased out of her room when he visited her at university.”

“Dad!” she admonished, turning to him. He smiled at her and motioned to the double doors where more and more people were beginning to enter. Together they slowly moseyed their way to the main room.

Already hundreds of people were inside, clustered together eating fancy appetizers and sipping champagne. Dressed in their cocktail-hour finest and decked out in jewels that advertised their mine’s bounties, this room contained the true Bounty of the Earth.

A squeeze on her shoulder pulled Brienne out of her trance and she looked up to her dad. “Don’t let that first impression get you down, Brienne. You shine bright as any star here; you are an Evenstar member.”

She bit her lip and looked away. At the other side of the room was the annoying handsome man with emeralds for eyes from the lobby. He seemed to feel her gaze on him, and he looked up to catch her eye, giving her a wink. She frowned and looked away.

“How did your first networking event end up going with such a bad start?” she asked, seeing that some people were waving him over to their group.

A waiter walked past them, and Selwyn picked up two flutes of bubbling champagne. Handing one over to Brienne, he clinked their glasses. “I ended up reconnecting with my university fling, who then became my wife. So, I would say it turned out pretty well in the end.”

Brienne watched her father walk away, seamlessly melting into the group that invited him over. He was larger than life and she wished she had even a quarter of his charisma. But, for him, she would try her best tonight to socialize and make friends with the mining corporate world.

Bouncing from group to group, Brienne did her best to introduce herself, pass out a business card, and move on. With each glass of champagne it made the small talk a bit easier, but she always took care to keep herself from taking up too much space, to not show her teeth when she smiled, lower her head so not to intimidate others too much with her size.

“Are you actually a woman?”

Brienne spun around and came almost eye-to-eye with the emerald eyes from the lobby. They sparkled in jest, clearly finding joy in her knee-jerking reacting. She inwardly cursed for reacting to him, knowing that beautiful idiots like him would only continue once they got a rise out of her.

Seeing that she wasn’t going to answer, he prattled on. “I imagine if all women were built like you, it would have been women chipped away at the earth while men stayed home and prayed to the gods for their brave partners to make it home safely.”

Then it hit her. Robert Baratheon’s Lannister wife… this could only be the notorious twin—Jaime Lannister. Heir apparent to Lannister Group and responsible for one of the worst coal mine accidents to happen in the past 10 years.

“The Wildfire Incident…”

Jaime stopped talking and his eyes instantly hardened. “You are bold to bring that up to my face rather than behind my back like everyone else in this room. What do you know of that, _darlin’_?”

“I know that good men died under your watch and you never faced the consequences for it. And, don’t you dare call me darlin’!” she growled.

“Oh, yes, I am sorry Ms. Tarth? Is it?” he almost purred back dangling one of her business cards in front of her face. How he came by it, she didn’t know. He must have asked someone for it, or more likely, found it discarded by someone who found her boring. “It’s just, I look at you and I think of the old tale of the miner’s daughter, Clementine. You know, with you being the daughter of a miner… and your giant feet. Might want to watch out for any rivers. You know how the song goes.”

Brienne was seeing red and she knew her entire face and neck must be flaming with the color as well. This prick had the audacity to find her in this cocktail mixer full of hundreds of people, just to insult her with a nickname that haunted every school memory. If she didn’t have Evenstar Marble to think about, she would punch him just as she did the boys in high school.

“Brienne!”

As if the nick name wasn’t enough of a reminder of high school mistakes, Renly Baratheon came strolling over. Two others, a man and woman who looked to be related, were walking next to him.

“Oh, hello Renly. It’s been a long time.”

Jaime raised an eyebrow but moved over to allow the group to become a circle. She sent a side-eye glare over his way, hoping he would move on now that he got to insult her.

“Yes, it most certainly has! We must be better at keeping in touch.” He motioned to her for his two companions. “This is Brienne Tarth, a fellow Stormlander and part of Evenstar Marble. We went to the same boarding school and teamed up as the fellow outcasts, isn’t that right, Brienne?”

Brienne gave an awkward laugh and nodded. Renly had been a social butterfly with many friends and connections but used her hopeless crush on him to vent his frustrations and secrets. He only stood up for her after she heard about the rumors and finally punched those responsible for the chanting nickname.

“Brienne, this is Loras and Margaery Tyrell. They are the fabulous sibling team responsible for House of the Rose jewelry line.” Margaery reached out and delicately took Brienne’s hand in a gentle shake. Loras did not offer his hand. “And Jaime, what a sight for sore eyes. I haven’t seen you since the wedding.”

“Oh yes, that was a joyful event,” he deadpanned. “Almost as much fun as this ass-kissing event is, right Brienne?”

Brienne glared at him, ready to rebuke him when Renly spoke first. “I had no idea the Lannister Group and the Evenstars knew each other. This is most interesting! Trying to get in on the Eastland’s goods?”

“We don’t have any business partnerships,” Brienne spit out.

Jaime then added, “Yes, our relationship is purely personal.”

Margaery giggled as Brienne turned another brilliant shade of pink. “I… we, it’s not…”

Margaery patted Brienne on the arm. “Jaime just likes to tease. But he was right on one thing, this party is a snorefest. We are in Sunspear, let’s go out and experience the night!”

Both of her male companions cheered in agreement. “Why not? Any place is better than here,” agreed Jaime. All eyes were then on Brienne.

“I… oh, I really should be getting to know people. That’s what this weekend is about.”

“Oh, Brienne. Don’t be a wet blanket,” Renly rolled his eyes. “The whole weekend is for that and most people here are already too drunk to even remember names. Live a little.”

Loras said nothing but wrapped his arm around Renly’s. Margaery moved and did the same to Brienne’s and then wrapped her other arm around Jaime’s. He looked up at her with those emerald eyes again, seeming to goad her on. “How about it, darlin’? I’ll keep you safe out there from anything scary.”

She scoffed. "Fine. Let's go."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I used the American western folk ballad, "Oh My Darling, Clementine" as the "Bear and the Maiden Fair" of this AU world~~~ Imagine there was a Clementine instead of a Jenny of Oldstones xD


	3. Raw Sugar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This isn’t my first kidnapping, darlin’,” Jaime Lannister—fellow hostage, and the reason for the whole situation—whispered in her ear. “Just do as I say, and we will be back in our perfectly starched hotel beds in no time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot tell you my joy upon finding out that Jenny of Oldstones events ended in a year with a '9', so I could use the same tune for Clementine. I went with 239 AC, when Duncan Targaryen met Jenny, since that is a little happier event? 
> 
> "There was a miner, a 39er, and his daughter Brienne--I mean Jenny, er... Clementine!"

_Five years earlier. Four hours later._

“Keep mofthing!”

Brienne didn’t need to be told twice. With a literal gun being pressed against her back and the several large men that walked next to them, Brienne was totally in compliance.

“This isn’t my first kidnapping, darlin’,” Jaime Lannister—fellow hostage, and the reason for the whole situation—whispered in her ear. “Just do as I say, and we will be back in our perfectly starched hotel beds in no time.”

“I thaid to thut your mouth, golden boy” one of their captors screeched before using his gun to smash Jaime upside the head. Jaime grunted and he stumbled. Brienne went to catch him, but her arms were tied behind her back. She stopped so not to trip over his body, but it resulted in the barrel of the gun jabbing her harder. The man with the lisp bent over and yanked Jaime up by his hair. “Don’t make me cut out your tongue to thend a methage to daddy.” 

Glancing over to Jaime, she saw what looked to be red blood dying his golden hair. Giving a defiant glare he shook off the comment and continued walking. Brienne exhaled, the pressure of the barrel weakening, and went to match his steps. She was glad he was okay, but moreover, she was glad he finally shut up.

They continued their trek in silence—a walk to nowhere in the middle of the desert with only the moon and a few flashlights held by their abductors to lead the way. She couldn’t believe it, but she missed the neon lights of Sunspear and The Snake.

They never should have left The Snake.

After their group ditched the BETS opening mixer to explore what more exciting things the city had to offer, they started out with bouncing around some of the more famous casinos on The Snake. That turned to barhopping to keep their buzz and then finally thought it would be fun to see some of the more ‘dirty’ sides of the capitol and they left the innermost wall. Brienne, having hardly ever gone out with a group in a social occasion, succumbed to their recommendations whole-heartedly.

Renly treated her like they were best friends from high school reunited, and Brienne was just tipsy and desperate enough to play along with it. He complimented her suit and gave suggestions for a great tailor in Storm’s End. Together they pointed out the old lady’s and their special Copper slots and laughed about their superstitions. He even told her that he always admired her loyalty.

“It’s something that I still cherish,” he had slurred at one point, holding onto her arm like he might topple over. High school Brienne dreamed of this kind of situation and even now she felt her heart race as her former crush gushed over her. “Sweet Brienne, such a peach…”

Even his stand-offish boyfriend, Loras, seemed to loosen up and tried to include her in their events, even showing her how to play Highgarden Hold’em. Margaery was the most unexpected addition to the group, as she seemed to glue herself to Brienne’s side. Beautiful girls like Margaery usually did that with other beautiful people, like Jaime Lannister. But Jaime seemed the odd man out in their group.

Jaime had appeared almost bored, green eyes glazed over as he watched others gamble and drink. He played with his designer tie as beautiful women and handsome men passed him by, never even glancing their way as they stopped to drool over him. He would drop an occasional snarky comment or mean joke, but he didn’t try to make conversation with anyone. Well, other than with Brienne.

Margaery had just gone off to find where Loras and Renly had gone off too, so they could make their next plans, when he sidled next to her on the bar. 

“So, darlin’…” he began.

“Brienne,” she cut him off. “I told you not to call me that.”

“Oh yes, Brienne. Ms. Tarth. Yet, as you recall from earlier, I also told you it fits so well. You are a homage to the tales of the age-old beauty, Clementine _. There was a miner, a 39er, and his daughter—_ "

She slammed her drink down on the bar, cutting off his singing, and turned to him. “Merciful gods, do you ever stop talking? Or singing? Or using your mouth to be annoying?”

He smirked. “It has many more uses; I can assure you.” Brienne could feel her blush. She walked into that one. “But you aren’t _just_ the daughter of a miner, right? You are prepping to take over for daddy and be a miner in your own right.”

“I’m more a geologist,” she muttered, uncomfortable how smoothly he transitioned from making lewd jokes to talking about their family business. However, this was to be the language Brienne needed to become fluent in, so she turned to him. “Evenstar Marble is a family business, but it’s also the only publicly-owned, not-for-profit, mining company.”

Jaime chuckled. “Oh yes, I’ve heard. The company owned by the whole island. How novel.”

Furrowing her brows, Brienne ignored the jest. “Well, after the Golden Company sacked Tarth during The War of the Five Kings, Evenstar found their keep on the verge of bankruptcy, so they sold shares of the mines to the community. There is really no profit from owning the shares, but shareholders vote to elect Evenstar Marble’s board of directors and a seven-member executive committee that represent the team at company meetings. So, I feel more like a figurehead most days… I mostly assess and analyze geological data in order to advise production plans.”

He made a humming noise, eyes glassy like polished jade as he watched the ice melt in her in drink that sat on the bar. Brienne scowled. “You were the one who started with the shop talk! If you don’t want to listen to me, don’t ask!”

“Shop talk?” he sneered. “If I wanted to talk about that shit I would have stayed at the mixer. No, I want to know more about you, Ms. Tarth. _Brienne_.” The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine.

“Me?!” 

“Yes, you mentioned The War of the Five Kings. Did you memorize that little speech for cozying up to investors, or are you interested in history?”

“I—well… maybe both, but I like history. A lot. Actually, I wanted to see some of the famous historical sites around Dorne before heading home, if I could.”

That seemed to please Jaime, because he gave her a slight smile that was different from his typical smirks and his eyes glittered. Before he could say anything more, Renly, Loras and Margaery rejoined them.

“We just heard about this killer party happening in the outmost wall, in an area called Shadow City,” Renly said excitedly. “No trip to Sunspear is complete without engaging in the local life. What do you say?”

Brienne felt a chill go through her. It was getting late and she didn’t know this city well enough to know if Shadow City was a safe area, or if she trusted these people enough if they were to continue drinking in such an area. Also, Renly’s idea of ‘killer’ generally included illegal substances, if his definition hadn’t changed from high school… He already looked like he may be on something, as he was slightly shaky and sweaty.

“Um… I think that might be it for me. My dad wants me to meet him for some early morning panels tomorrow, so—”

“Brienne, come on now. It will be fun,” Loras interrupted.

“Don’t peer pressure her, guys. If she doesn’t want to go, she doesn’t have to go,” Margaery defended. “Just us four can go. Or are you out as well, old man?” she directed at Jaime. He also began making up an excuse not to go when Brienne disrupted it. 

“I’ll go.”

She hadn’t known Margaery long, but it didn’t feel right to abandon her to be the only girl left in the group. The fact that she was out, partying in a famous city with _friends_ was not lost on her, as well. This was Sunspear—Release the Inhibitions.

“Yay!” cheered Renly. “We won’t be out long, I promise. Is this where we part then, Jaime?”

Jaime looked around quickly then nodded ‘no’. “I can’t back out now if everyone is going. Who will protect the damsels from the things that go bump in the night? And I’m not talking about Brienne, I think she can take care of herself. Come on then, I’ll pay for the cab. My treat.”

Renly frowned. “Asshole,” he muttered. 

The ride to the outermost ring had a unease that wasn’t there the whole night. Brienne was beginning to regret saying yes to joining them at this party, especially since it seemed like Jaime only decided to come to keep antagonizing everyone. Renly and Jaime were technically family through marriage, but they didn’t seem to have any familiarity at all. Rather, they avoided each other as much as possible.

Brienne wondered if maybe Renly also knew about the Wildfire Incident and had moral objections to being friends with Jaime. If anyone knew details on the accident, it would be Renly. A notorious gossip with connections to the area that it happened in; he surely knew more about it than was released to the public.

Brienne had only been 12-year-old, but even then, she knew enough to know that this was a disaster that was completely avoidable. The mining field is one of the most dangerous professions in the world with accidents happening in every field of ore extraction. Some were unlucky, some were natural, and some… some were due to negligence.

Ten years ago Jaime Lannister was working as an apprentice to Aerys Targaryen the Second, CEO of Dragonstone Fire Corporation. Dragonstone was the dominate mining company of all Westeros, parent company to many other minor companies and had been expanding into Essos for years and years. Tywin Lannister and Aerys were long-time friends and partners in both business and family affairs. Thus, Jaime was working under Dragonstone and was put in charge of his first mine: the Dragonpit Coal Mine and Petroleum Drilling.

Not even 50 miles from King’s Landing laid one of the world’s largest coal producing mines. Nearby were hundreds of drills extracting petroleum from the ground. And gold child, Jaime Lannister was left completely in charge of it.

It started with an earthquake, that trapped the coal miners hundreds of feet below the ground. Then, the explosions.

Wildfire.

Wildfire used in the past for mining as an explosive material, but alchemists and chemists were never able to tame it. In present times there were many more convenient and safe properties and modern technology. Not only was it illegal for to be used any longer, but it had been improperly stored in an old warehouse by the petroleum drills, causing it to ignite during the aftermath of the earthquake. 

The fire burned and burned for days. The soil and rocks were moved as quick as possible to save the trapped miners. 12 men were dead along with Aerys Targaryen. Why he was there, or how he died, it was never released to the public.

However, it was revealed that the earthquake was caused by the over-drilling of petroleum. The explosion was likely methane gas, which accumulates in coal beds and can explode when the bed is penetrated during mining. A common reality for any coal miner… but in this case, something that could have been prevented. It was truly lucky that so few lives were lost considering the events.

However, Jaime Lannister never stood trial for his carelessness. The dynasty that was Dragonstone Fire was liquidated and sold off and absorbed by fellow competitors. The names of those who died were forgotten as the mine was shut down and sealed up.

“Looks like we are here,” announced Renly, hoping off Loras’s lap and getting out of the cab. Shadow City fit the name, as it was almost pitch black compared to the artificial brightness of The Snake. Yet, like The Snake, it was alive with people and sounds. It smelt of dust, sweat, and sand—this is where the locals came to be.

The club they walked into was called ‘The Winding Wall’ and the moment they walked inside, Brienne was hit with the smell of drugs and sex. Half-naked couples were making out, grinding, and moaning filled the dancefloor and a few minor fights were breaking out around them.

Margaery had immediately been hit on by a beautiful Dornish woman and had run off to the dance floor with her. Renly and Loras were off somewhere, leaving Brienne alone at the table they had procured.

She sighed. Her buzz had worn off, she was sleepy, and was now feeling the full effects of being out of her comfort zone. 

A glass clinked down next to her. Jaime looked down at her before gesturing at it. “It’s water, I promise. I don’t think I would trust anything else from here.”

Brienne took the cup and took a sip, letting the cold water revive her cotton mouth before swallowing it. She looked up at Jaime. “Thank you.”

Jaime didn’t sit down, instead grabbing his jacket and putting it back on. “Hey, you like history? I heard some of the original Winding Wall is near here, if you want to go check it out.”

Brienne blinked up at him.

Jaime frowned. “What? You want to stay here instead?”

She looked out and say Margaery making out with the Dornish woman on the dance floor. Renly and Loras were off in the corner, seemingly high off something. She then caught the eye of a greasy looking man with a long, ropey black goatee. He gave her a crass smile. 

“Um, no. Not really. I think they will be fine here without us for a while.” Brienne grabbed her suit jacket as well and together they went for the exit.

After leaving the club, they didn’t say much. They stopped for directions as well as some street food before heading off to a piece of the original wall.

“If you don’t like clubbing, why did you come with?” Brienne finally asked, licking some of the spicey dragon pepper sauce of her fingers. He watched as she did.

“Oh, you know. I just wanted to prove I could still keep up with the young kids.” She hummed in skepticism. “How about you? This is definitely not your scene.”

Brienne sighed. Was she that obvious? “Well, it was nice to be invited out to something. That is something that doesn’t happen often.”

Jaime nodded in agreement. “Now that is something we have in common, darlin’, believe it or not.”

“I believe it. You are quite annoying, along with the whole Wildfire Incident.”

He chuckled. “Wow, twice in one night. You know how to make a guy feel special… and annoying? If anything, I am amusing.”

“Amusing? And you were never indicted for it, so—hey! You are going the wrong way! The vendor said to take a right to get the wall.”

Jaime turned and smirked. “I think you need to get your hearing checked because he definitely said to take a left.”

“No, it was—”

Jaime hollered and a large arm grabbed around Brienne’s neck and yanked her back. She immediately thought back to her self-defense classes and head-butt her attacker. A groan and warm blood came from behind and she managed to pull away, running toward Jaime. Another man had gone after him, getting him in a headlock.

Together they wrenched him arm off his neck and Jaime swiveled around, punching the attacker on the side of his face. From the corner of her eye Brienne saw her assaulter getting up and two more men coming. Jaime grabbed her hand and pulled her back from where they just came from.

The streets that earlier had so many people on them were now silent and empty. From a side alley, someone crashed into them as the speed of a wrecking ball, throwing them off balance and onto the road.

Two pairs of hands grabbed her collar and dragged her into the alley. Brienne tried to get her bearings, begging her breath to return so she could try to fight them off, but one of the men straddled her and punched her across the face twice. She cried out and could feel some of her teeth come loose.

“Lannithter!”

Everything stood still as one of the men walked over to Jaime who was fighting with another attacker. It was the greasy man with the long goatee from the club. Brienne was hauled up and a gun was pressed against her temple. Jaime walked forward and caught her eye, panic filling his green eyes.

“You are my captifth, unless you want your _darlin’_ to get a bullet in her thkull.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I previously said it would all be posted by the end of the fix exchange... I lied. I am a liar. But, the story is done, I just got caught up in dressing it up a bit~~~ Will be 100% before author revealings, I swear! And you can trust the word of this liar!


	4. Rock Me Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What lives here? What lives in the darkness?   
> Doom. Only Doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lateness of the chapter.  
> I have also added a few more tags, including ones for violence and panic attack, in the event this is a trigger for someone. This story turned a tad darker than originally anticipated (pun intended?) 
> 
> Please enjoy~

_Five years earlier. Four hours and thirty minutes later._

After walking about a mile from the main road, they were told to stop. Brienne felt her blood chill. It was the entrance to a mine, one that looked long abandoned.

Following the attack in the alleys of Shadow City, both Jaime and she were shoved into a vehicle that pulled up. Once inside both had their hands bound and black cotton bags thrown over their heads to keep their destination clandestine.

Jaime rambled on almost the entire ride—ranging from telling the kidnappers if they wanted to cut out the hassle of a third man for a ransom he could just pay now, to threatening a Lannister always pays their debts. Eventually when that did not work, he just berated them for ruining his night with his _darlin’_ and that things had been going well.

If Brienne’s mouth wasn’t full of blood and teeth, she would tell him to shut up herself.

Their captors seemed to know the area, as they immediately spread out around the one with the lisp still holding a gun to Jaime and the one behind her. One started a generator, the giant machine humming and nearly giving Brienne a heart attack. The others grabbed headlamps and switched on the power to the place. The lights slowly turned on.

Little by little, Brienne saw what she was sure would be their grave.

“We aren’t going down,” Jaime spat. He must have come to the same conclusion.

“Like you have any fucking say in this,” one of the other captors retorted. Seven. There were seven men all together. Bound and with no weapons, there was no way she and Jaime could take them on and expect to get away.

“Besithes,” the man with the goatee smirked, ushering Jaime forward towards the lift that would go down to the tunnels. “ _We_ aren’t going down. Jutht you, golden boy. Your _darlin’_ will be keeping ufth company up here, while we wait for daddy’th money.”

Never before had Brienne experienced the fight or flight instinct as strongly as she did when she heard those lisped words, and her blood sang to fight. If she were to die, it would be on her own terms and not on the timeline of Tywin Lannister.

Immediately, she turned to the gunman behind her and spit out the blood, spit, and teeth and had been gathering in her mouth. He reeled back, the hand with the gun going up to his eyes. Taking her chance, she rushed him, managing to push him to the ground without losing her own balance. She could hear Jaime behind her also struggling, but she had no time to see what was happening. She ran.

Brienne heard gun fire and hadn’t even made it to the entrance when she felt a savage bite come across her cheek. The shock of pain and the boom of the bullet disturbed her equilibrium, and Brienne fell to the rocky ground. Pain shot through her shoulder.

“Sapphires!” she heard shouted through the rain of bullets. Footsteps came her way and Brienne knew it was over.

“The big bitch is really getting on my last nerve.” Rough hands again yanked her up and she tried to suppress a moan. She was pretty sure the fall had dislocated her shoulder and the left side of her face was on fire. In a daze, she just picked up on the tail-end of what Jaime was saying as she was dragged back toward the lift.

“—it is called the Sapphire Isle for a reason, you know. And if you don’t believe me, check her pocket.” The man with the goatee shoved his man aside to get to her, first going for her breast pocket. Brienne yelped and looked up at Jaime, but he just nodded and gave her a look. “Don’t be too rough with her, Goat. Despite her monstrous demeanor, she is a lady after all.”

“Thut the fuck up, Lannithter.” Moving onto her other pocket, he pulled out her business cards. “Brienne Tarth, Eventhtar Marble LLTHC. Geologic Analytht.” He chuckled and walked back over to Jaime, patting him condescendingly on the shoulder. “Well then, I guess we thouldn’t theperate the lovers.”

Brienne shook her head, rattling her aching head, but she yelled anyway. “What? No! What did you tell them, Jaime?”

Their captors, now wearing the headlamps were forcing both Brienne and Jaime into the lift. The one she had spat blood on shoved her hard against the metal. Goat, as Jaime had called him, chided him. “Careful now, she is worth a mine of thapphireths.”

The lift doors closed and down they went. Brienne had been on a lift like this dozens of times, yet this felt like the lift to doom. What were they planning once they got to the tunnels?

Their descent came to an end as the lift depressurized and the bright artificial light of the lift opened to a dark world of what was once probably a thriving mine. The ceiling was so low, it was only inches from brushing the top of Brienne’s head.

Outside of the lift, Brienne and Jaime were forced back-to-back and their restraints tied together. “Best look over here toward the light, your folks get a good view of your pretty faces,” on of the captors taunted, holding up his camera. “Want them to be sure it’s you, or we might have to start sending body parts.”

“Looks like golden boy over here already had that happen, eh Lannister?”

Brienne blinked and felt Jaime shift uncomfortably. If he had been missing anything, she hadn’t noticed at all. They both looked toward the camera and a bright flash flooded the room. As quickly as it came, it was gone.

Besides her, Jaime was now beginning to shake, and she could hear his breathing quicken. She wondered if his adrenaline was wearing off and he was understanding the full severity of the situation they were in. Or, maybe he had never been deep underground before? Just because his family business was in mining, it did not mean they got their hands dirty with the actual work of extracting the ore.

Next to the lift was a mantrip, a shuttle for transporting miners down into an underground mine. Still tied together, they were forced to sit on the front seat. A backpack was thrown in with them next to their feet and they placed a headlamp on Brienne’s head. “It’s about a 20-minute trip down to the bottom. I remember, because I took this piece of shit every down every day until the coal ran out about 2 years ago,” someone with a Dornish accent murmured to her as he placed it on her head. “It’s like the passageway to Hell.”

“Well, thith ith where we part.” The man with the goatee said, walking around the mantrip. “Maybe we thall meet again?”

“Are you crazy? You send us to the end of the line!” Brienne again tried to struggle against her restraints, a new surge of anger overtaking the pain. Jaime, however stayed still and quiet. “Who knows how its changed since this place has closed? There could be pockets of blackdamp! How will you get your money and sapphires if we are asphyxiated to death?”

“Oh my _darlin’_ ,” he twanged. “You thure know a lot for a daughter of a thapphireth miner. You are Clementine reborn.”

The rest of the men laughed as he sauntered away. “Take them down! And watch out for water, Clementine. These old mineth can thometimeth flood.”

The mantrip began moving slowly down, further and further into darkness. And even as the strong florescent lights began to fade, she could still hear them all singing:

_Oh my darlin’, oh my darlin’  
Oh my darlin’, Clementine  
You were lost and gone forever  
Dreadful sorrow, Clementine_

-

The 20-minute descent felt like hours as the mantrip croaked and struggled with each turn of its wheels. They had only one headlamp and it was on Brienne’s head, so she tried to keep her head straight, so they knew what was heading their way, but it was difficult with their wrists bound together.

“Jaime,” she shouted over the noise of the dilapidated shuttle. “Jaime!” He didn’t answer or even seem to be moving, so she was worried they may have hurt him worse than previously thought. She tried to turn her head but could only see wisps of his golden curls wrapped around his head, shielding his eyes from view. 

The mantrip would notify them when it hit the end of the line. Assuming they were staying until then, Brienne guessed they would kill the generator and all electricity. If this was a mine she knew, she would look for the emergency escape path, but with so little light and already injured, it was not worth the risk. There was also the risk of bad air, so it would be best for them to sit in one place and not exert themselves.

With a final groan, the mantrip stopped. End of the line.

Neither of them moved, waiting to see what would happen. Brienne tried to memorize the layout of the area with failing headlights of the mantrip along with her own headlamp.

“Jaime, look over there. A stream.” Mine water streams were common, but the water could be dangerous as it was likely fully of poisonous toxins and mineral runoff. But it was good to see there was something they could use to clean themselves off. “Let’s try to get these ropes off before they kill the power.”

She saw Jaime nod out of the corner of her eye and together they tried to untangle their bindings. In the panicked rushing she accidently grabbed some of his fingers… or what should have been fingers. His right hand was missing some, something she didn’t notice at all tonight. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

He grunted but just continued trying to get the rope unbound. They eventually got the one holding them together off, but they still had their wrist tied behind their backs when everything turned off.

Darkness. Total and complete darkness.

Brienne thought it was dark before, but this was a completely different level. She also heard the whirring of the fans go off, so the recirculated air had been shut off as well. Those noises were now replaced with hyperventilating and something that sounded like a whimper.

“Jaime? Are you… okay?” Now that they were free from each other, she could turn to look him in the face. With the headlamp on his face, his breathing calmed slightly but she could see he was sweating and trembling.

“I, um. Well, no. Not really,” he pitifully chuckled. “This is really bad timing to be giving details about ourselves, but I, uh… I am severely claustrophobic.”

“Oh…” she trailed off. “I, um. Is this headlamp helping at all? Try focusing on that if you can?”

“Yes, I can do that. I can actually see your face pretty well right now, so that’s good.”

Brienne laughed. “Well, I don’t know about that. I’m sorry it’s not a _prettier_ face to look at, but I’m going to help you through this. I have something that scares me, too, so I know how you feel. First, let’s just take some deep breaths, in… then out…, in…, then out…”

Together they breathed slowly and deeply, just focusing on each other’s faces. Brienne wanted to change her mind about Jaime’s eyes. They were no longer emeralds in her mind. Instead they were more like malachite, giving off parallel bands and concentric rings. His golden eyelashes reflected the light of the headlamp and almost made the cave shimmer. The flush he had developed from his hyperventilating was beginning to recede, but some blush remained on the apples of his high-cheek bones. 

“I feel better. Or, I can at least function again.”

“That’s good.” He looked off to the side, almost like he was embarrassed. Brienne cleared her throat. “So, you had mentioned this wasn’t your first kidnapping? Any suggestions on how to get out of this?”

Jaime moved his wrists back a fourth a little, checking the strength of the bound rope. Brienne did the same, finding them very tight and very secure. “My restraint is a little loose near the left wrist knot. If you could get it undone, I can then get yours off.”

Brienne went to turn her back to him but stopped. “Will you be okay without the light shining your way?” He nodded, taking one last glance at her headlamp before also turning his back.

To keep him calm, Brienne tried to make small talk while her large fingers worked the knot in his restraints. Being a phobic herself, she knew focusing on something else helped, so it was the least she could do. However, small talk was not her strong suit, so she ended up talking about more mines.

“The marble mines in Tarth are really an amazing process. Once marble has been located on the island, diamond-tipped drill bits take core samples to determine the best location for digging the quarry. It will also give the expected quality and purity of the marble.”

She could hear Jaime humming along, and it made her think back to earlier when he had said he dreaded ‘shop talk’. But she really didn’t know what else to say right now, and at least marble quarries were _above ground_. 

“So, once mining has begun, there may be several months of digging before any marble is extracted from the quarry. Overburden, or the dirt on top, needs to be extracted before blocks of marble can be removed. Marble really is complicated, but what it can create is worth it in the end.”

“Hmmm, yes. My father had always referred to Tarth’s marble as ‘white gold’.”

Brienne stopped her fingers, surprised that Tywin Lannister had anything to say on Tarth. “Well, that is a very generous title, especially from the man who literally lives on a gold mine.”

Jaime scoffed. “Don’t act so modest. Gold and marble may be different ore, but they are brothers in the world of wealth and power. Large pieces of your precious white Tarth stone are cut and hauled to distance places to function as signs of this just as much as any Lannister gold.” An awkward silence followed.

He wasn’t wrong. Marble is a status symbol, but that didn’t mean they were the same. Lannister Group got to the top crawling on the back of their miners. The blood spilt in their many accidents over the years didn’t matter as long at the weight of the ore was heavier. Evenstar Marble always thought of itself as a company for the people, by the people. Each miner was just as important as the owner.

“Listen, I didn’t mean to put your company down. I get what you all are selling, and I think it is noble.” Brienne rolled her eyes. “I can’t see you, darlin’, but I know you made a face! I really do!” He sighed and tried to wiggled his hands. “It’s getting looser. Tell me about Tarth now. Not the marble mines, for gods sake, but the actual island. Tell me all about the dreary mountain in the sea that breed giants.”

She told him about her island, the people, the mountains, and the waters. She told him that because they were known as the Sapphire Isle, everyone always had to make a joke how they had no sapphire mines. Because of this, she had never been particularly fond of the blue gemstone. Instead she liked another one.

“Lapis lazuli,” she said. Her fingers had begun to cramp and her shoulder ached, so they were taking a break and again were facing each other. “That is my favorite ore.” He had asked what her favorite rock was, a silly kid-like question, but one that seemed essential to any geologist or miner.

“Really, darlin’? You are going to pick that over _thapphireths_?” She snorted. She really shouldn’t be laughing about the men who almost killed her, yet with the darkness, rising heat and air running thinner, what happened only hours ago felt like weeks ago. Jaime was chuckling as well, watching her face intently. “It also is the only gem that feels worthy to compare to your eyes.”

Brienne felt her heart speed up and stop simultaneously. No one had ever complimented her like that before and she had no idea how to respond. “I, um… actually thought the same about you earlier, but with emeralds.”

He smiled, those very eyes twinkling. “Oh really? Are you saying you think I am handsome?”

“What? No, I did not say that! I just said your eyes reminded me of emeralds! But I recently changed my mind and now I like them better as malachite.”

“Is that so?” A small smile crossed his face. “I think I like them better that way as well.”

-

Hours and hours later she finally managed to get the knot from Jaime’s rope. She almost cried from relief as everything came crashing in around her. It had to be past morning by now, so they hadn’t slept at all. She was dehydrated from drinking so much the night before, her stomach growled, and her body hurt from _everything_. Two missing molars and a bullet graze on the left side of her face and a dislocated right shoulder—this was not the trip to Sunspear she had expected.

Jaime quickly untied her ropes and reaching down for the backpack they had thrown in with them. “Look down here so we can see what our kind guests have given us.”

One bottle of water, a banana, and a half empty can of chewing tobacco. That was it.

“I am going to fucking kill them myself,” muttered Jaime, rotating his shoulder blades.

“Jaime,” she interrupted him. “How do you feel about turning off the headlamp and trying to sleep a little? That way we could conserve the battery.”

“Do you think you should sleep? You might have a concussion. Looks like they hit you pretty hard, it’s getting kind of swollen.” She grimaced. As if she wasn’t unappealing enough, now her face was swollen, bloody, and battered. 

“Yeah, they got me pretty good. I lost some teeth, so that might be why its puffy. Also, the bullet—” she gasped as Jaime’s hand touched just below the wound. It was his right hand and now she could feel the missing fingers.

“Brienne, I’m sorry you got caught up in this.” He looked away but didn’t move his hand. “Since I was a kid, I have always been targeted for this kind of shit.”

“Is that what happened to your hand?” She caught it before he could pull it away. His right hand was missing the pinky, ring and top of the middle finger. “I never heard about the Lannister heir being kidnapped, let alone being mutilated. I didn’t even notice tonight”

“My father would be pleased to hear that,” he murmured and jerked away. “The privileges of being the Lannister heir. You are a shiny object to both parties and a way to make money.”

Brienne chewed on her lip, uncomfortable with having brought this up. She normally wasn’t this audacious with other people’s imperfections, but then again, she had never been kidnapped and shot at before tonight. “Well, come on then. The shiny object should at least try to be comfortable as we await our doom.”

-

There was no sense of time in the tunnels. Jaime’s 500 Dragon golden watch was broken from the fight. Sleep was more like coming in and out of a lucid dream, and with their oxygen levels gradually getting lower and the heat of the earth boiling their blood, it was a continuous drug trip.

Jaime would sometimes start trembling if he awoke and the headlamp wasn’t on, so Brienne handed over the ownership of their only light source to him.

“You should tell me a secret,” he whined. They had just finished the last of their banana rations and were sitting against the wall near the mantrip, long legs spread out in front of them. “I have been spilling them to you like a sinner at the altar of the Mother. Friends share secrets with each other.”

“Are we friends?”

“I would think so. We hung out, drank together, fought together, and now we are technically living together. I mean, we can make it fuck buddies if that is a better term for you—”

“Gods! Jaime!” she smacked him with her good arm. He had fashioned a sling out of his suit jacket for her right shoulder.

“Is that your secret? Are you a sweet, young virgin?” She hoped he couldn’t see the intensity of her blush with the headlamp. He chuckled. He must have seen it. “Just messing around with you, darlin’. There is something personal I want to ask, though. You earlier said you feared something, and I just cannot wrap my head around it. You took on and beat the shit out of several thugs, stared down a gun, and seem to be almost at home in the dark as a gnome. What could possibly scare you?”

She was silent for a while. Not only was her phobia embarrassingly similar to the end of Clementine, her eternal taunt, but it was a wound that had not healed well. “… it’s water. I’m afraid of drowning.” 

No taunts. No questions. No reasoning. Jaime just sat there looking off into the darkness. “This isn’t the first time I’ve been trapped with death in a mineshaft,” he said instead. “When I was 10 years old, my Uncle Gerion took me to visiting our family gold mine, near Casterly Rock. I wanted to see what _actual_ miners did, something my father would never allow, but Uncle Gerion was all about getting his hands dirty. So, together we went down the tunnels with the other men. They teased me, but they were willing to teach me. I was so excited…” he cleared his throat. “The tunnel we were working on was new, and the structure wasn’t set. There was a cave-in…”

“Jaime,” she whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. He looked over at her, the headlamp following his gaze.

“We weren’t down there long, maybe 6-7 hours tops. I was fine, but Uncle Gerion and a lot of those miners didn’t make it out from the darkness.” He put his own hand on top on the one she had on his shoulder. “You are really warm.”

Brienne didn’t respond, and instead told him about the day she lost her brother to the ocean.

-

They were out of the bottle water and decided to try the running stream. It was decided that dying by poisoning, dying by asphyxiation, or dying via starvation were all equally terrible, so may as well not be thirsty. Lowering herself to scoop some of the mine water into the plastic bottle, Brienne felt something move around in her makeshift sling.

“Jaime, did you forget something in your jacket pocket?”

“Oh yes, my lucky charm.” He carefully reached around her to get the item out of his suit jacket pocket and held it up to the light. “Taadaa.”

“Yes, it’s very lucky,” she deadpanned. But her toned changed upon further scrutiny of the item. “Is that... valyrian steel?!”

He motioned for her to take it. The precious material seemed to hum with life as she held it in her large hands. It was a nugget-size with no distinguishable shape, but there was no mistaking the magical feel of this treasure.

“Yes, it is. Uncle Gerion gave it to me when I told him I wanted to be a knight rather than be a business tycoon like father,” he chuckled. “He gave me this and said maybe I could find enough to make a sword like those of legend.”

“This is amazing. I’ve never seen it before it was molded.”

“I know it’s cheating a bit, as it’s already been forged with other metals and potentially dragon fire, if children’s tales are to be believed, but this is _my_ favorite type of ore.” Brienne handed his treasure back over to him and he placed it into his pant pocket.

They both settled down to try and get some sleep. “I think that is why I wanted to get to know you better… you like history. Why else would you study it?” she heard him murmur before clicking off the headlamp and letting the darkness envelop them.

Brienne mused when she told him she studied history in university.

-

Everything was blending together. Everything hurt. Everything was darkness.

No food, no air, no time, and now—no light. The headlamp was dead.

Brienne wondered how long they had been down here. Her shoulder was mostly numb, as were her feet and hands from being exposed to the mine water. The bullet wound on her cheek burned and she worried it may be festering. Her probing tongue kept poking at the two new holes in her mouth the knocked-out molars left behind, causing jolts of pain.

The total darkness was a mind game. She kept hearing noises of animals and people, despite it being impossible for anything to survive down here. To keep both her and Jaime calm, they continued to talk.

They talked and talked. She had never said so much in her entire life. There was no concern for the lack of oxygen because she was sure they both were hoping to pass out by now. This darkness was doom… their death.

No. Focus.

Talk. Talk more. They even sang some songs, but not Clementine. It was okay if he kept calling her _darlin’_ , though, because he made it sound not so terrible…

Sing more. Talk more. Jaime stopped, maybe he is asleep? Please just be asleep…

-

Brienne woke up to Jaime’s breath puffing in her ear. In, out, in, out… he was hyperventilating again. Now fully awake she could hear groaning and his thrashing and as she reached out to find him, her hand ran across sweat soaked, clammy skin. 

“Jaime! Jaime, wake up,” she pleaded. She found his shoulder and attempted to shake him with her one hand.

“The miners. I swore… to keep… them safe,” he wept in his daze, panting between each word. “The wildfire. No, no, nooo!”

Tearing off the sling, Brienne used both arms to pull Jaime up and held him to her. “Jaime, listen to me. You are just dreaming. You are having a panic attack. Jaime, you are here with me right now. There may be no light, but I am here. We are in this together and I will not leave you.” She felt him move closer as we woke and absorbed her words. “Let’s breath together again, like last time. And… get your magic rock out, focus on that. Pretend it’s a sword of legend and the dragon fire within allows it to glow with righteous flames.”

He chuckled a little but did as she said. They breathed slowly together, both staring into the darkness of where the valyrian steel chunk was being held in Jaime’s hand. It took was seemed like hours to get both their breathing back to normal, but soon it passed. They continued to rest in each other’s embrace, too exhausted to move. 

-

Light filled their world.

Jaime sniffed, pulling his head from her shoulder, and looked up at her as if she were one of the Seven. “Brienne, you are shining.”

She could hear the buzz of electricity and her greedy lungs tasted the fresh air now being pumped into the tunnel. Emotion erupted from within and she had to choke back a sob. This could all just be a cruel trick… they could just be turning it on to give them some air before turning it off, or maybe it was their rescuers?

Fighting is better than this waiting, she thought. She gently pulled away from Jaime and shakily pulled herself up. “I think we can get on the mantrip, it’s about to go up.” She offered her hand. “Shall we go up with it? I mislike this place.”

Tentatively he reached out, his right hand and few fingers caressed hers before gripping strongly. “Yes, let’s go. I’m not fond of it myself.”

Together they carefully felt their way to the mantrip and sat in one of the middle seats, switching it so it faced forward. Up. The headlights on it is rear even weaker as it stared into the endless void.

Seconds, minutes, hours—time still had no meaning under the earth in the darkness—they sat together, hands still entwined together, Jaime’s other hand still clutching the piece of steel. They said nothing, just breathing fresh oxygen and appreciating the minute amount of illumination.

Then mantrip rattled and began to move.

Jaime nearly wept. “We are heading _up_. Up! Not down. I hope it’s daylight outside.”

“It might not be friendly faces, Jaime,” Brienne warned, always having to be voice of reason even as her heartbeat hummed and she squeezed his hand in joy.

“I have my _darlin’_ with me. We took on the bears, lions, and dire wolves in this pit of doom and survived,” he joked. It was nice to hear him joke again after… however long they were together down there, Brienne though.

She returned the laugh. “Did you hear creatures down there, too? I thought I was going mad.”

“No madness, they were definitely down there. Especially the dire wolves, they like gloomy places.” He squeezed her hand back. “But whatever is up there… at least it is _up there_.”

Soon, a light at the end of the tunnel approached.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter will be posted by tomorrow or the day after.   
> I wish to thank my beta~ my beloved roommate (who now knows way too much about my hobbies and interests). Thank you for reading!


	5. On the Sly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Jaime, what are you doing here? You’ve been avoiding me since I joined your family’s company, so why now? What do you want?”
> 
> His hair had been cut from the last time she saw him. It was the shortest she ever saw it, so short that his natural curls now stuck out in waves in an artfully tousled way. His stubble was now a fully grown-out beard, neatly trimmed to his jaw line, the color a shade darker than his golden hair. The look became him. He looked a true CEO of a continent-wide mining and jewelry conglomerate now.
> 
> “Jaime—”
> 
> “Marry me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus, I conclude my Jaime x Brienne Fic Exchange 2020 - Thank you to the mods for setting this up, dealing out our prompts, and keeping us all in line with sending us all very kind emails of "where is your completed story?!" Lol! I apologize for waiting for the final moment before reveals, both to you and to my lovely prompter.   
> EleanorHugo, I hope you enjoyed this. Here is the chapter we actually get to what you prompted~~ (oops) 
> 
> Again, author has no knowledge of mining activities OR how businesses actually thrive and work, so please go with the magic of fanfiction and assume :)

_Present. One hour and forty-three minutes later._

Sitting inside her fancy hotel room, sitting on what was probably the most comfortable bed in existence, Brienne rubbed her eyes and felt the beginnings of a migraine coming on. Everything about this place was bringing up unwelcome feelings and memories that had taken her and her therapist years of sessions to help heal.

Seeing Jaime definitely did not help with those emotions.

They were trapped together for 4 days—4 days that felt like an eternity in the darkness. They faced ghosts, animals and fears and came out of it breathing. Covered in soot, blood, and sweat, they emerged from the end of the tunnels to police, paramedics, and fellow miners who were preparing to go down to search for them.

Bright florescent lights burned her eyes after seeing nothing for days, but both Jaime and Brienne begged to go up further, to see the sky before allowing the medics to start examining their injuries. They refused to say another word of their kidnapping breathing stale air. Finally, their rescuers relented and took them to the lift.

Still clutching hands, they had wept when the lift doors opened to reveal the brilliant Dornish sun and the blue sky. Brienne can hardly remember the euphoria of colors and emotions of that moment, only that Jaime’s hand—the one with missing fingers—kept her from flying away.

With his other hand he had turned her face to his. “I knew it.”

“What?” His hand was cool under the heat of her blush.

“Even sapphires can’t compare to your eyes, especially in the sunlight.”

After giving them a moment, the paramedics eventually pried them apart only after promising Jaime both were going to the same hospital in Sunspear. He also yielded her hand when they said Selwyn Tarth would be on the ambulance with her. None of his family was mentioned, nor did she ever meet any of them at the hospital.

It had been 5 years since then and so many things had changed, in the mining world and in her own.

The kidnapping of the Lannister heir and the Evenstar’s daughter was kept under wraps. Jaime told her his father was a professional at hiding the tarnish of Lannister Group’s dealings, from mine accidents and environmental disasters to family scandals and payoffs. Brienne’s own father refused to disclose how he had gotten her out of the mineshaft—only that she was alive and well, that was all that mattered to him and to her family on Tarth. 

Again, she was in the dark. Yet, a ray of light came to her in the form of Jaime’s continued friendship. Whatever had formed between the two of them in that pit of Hell became her main source of happiness as they exchanged letters and the occasional phone call.

They met again in person at the next BETS held in Raventree Hall. His hair had grown out and had the beginnings of a beard that only made him more annoying handsome. They spent the weekend trading veiled japes and insults, always staying well within the well-lit convention hall and in-view of Jaime’s new bodyguard, curtesy of his younger brother.

“My babysitter’s name is Sandor Clegane. I mostly tolerate him because he reminds me of you.”

Brienne didn’t know if that was supposed to be a compliment or insult, but the giant of a man seemed to be an ideal bodyguard and she, too, liked his _quiet_ demeanor, so she let it be.

During BETS Raventree Hall convention, Margaery also sought after her. The beautiful girl had called after the kidnapping, bawling for forgiveness. She felt responsible for pressuring Brienne into going to the party and for also breaking the ‘girl code’ of leaving her alone. A new friendship began to bloom as Brienne assured her that it was not her fault and they continued to communicate.

She never did hear from Renly, however. She did feel his stare as he saw the scar that now decorated her cheek, but he turned away, eyes cast down as he walked the opposite way. 

Jaime had called him a coward, but Brienne did not care. It’s not as though she lost anything—other than some teeth that were now replaced.

“Renly could never appreciate all that you are,” he told her on the final night of BETS Raventree Hall. They were having dinner together at the restaurant in Evenstar Marble’s cheap hotel, a few miles away from the convention. “But this is for the best. I don’t like to share.”

She laughed into her beer. “Share? Share what? My attention? I swear you are a spoiled child sometimes.”

Placing his hand over his chest, he looked up at her in mock-hurt. “Spoiled? And I was just about to give you a best friend present.” She perked up at that and he smiled, pushing over a small box. Carefully taking the top off, inside was his lucky charm—the valyarian steel nugget.

“Oh, I couldn’t! This is yours, Jaime! I just… I am happy to be your friend,” she blushed, looking down to avoid his eyes.

“I think it’s run out of luck for me, but it may have some magic left for you. I would… be happy if you keep it close.”

The next year, BETS was held in Lannister Group territory at Lannisport, but Brienne looked forward to it. Her father, however, seemed to look sicker and gaunter as the days came closer. She worried for him, but he brushed it off.

The same as the year before, Brienne found Jaime and spent most of her time with him when she could. Margaery joined them occasionally with Sandor standing off in his own corner. Then, on the last day, Robert Baratheon stood up and crushed it all.

“I want to announce a proud moment for Stag Silver today, as we close Bounty of the Earth Trade Show – Raventree Hall. Seeing as how next year’s will be held in historical and exciting Storm’s End, I want to call back to the days when the Stormlands were one. Today, two of the Stormland’s most prestigious mining companies will be combining. Stag Silver has acquired Evenstar Mining LLC, and we look forward to working with the great island of Tarth in the future!”

It felt as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her, but she still managed to move her legs so she could flee the room. Jaime calling out behind her.

Selwyn and the entire island of Tarth, upon hearing of her kidnapping, put their shares for the mines up on loan to pay the equivalent of a sapphire mine worth of ransom. Her kind, sweet, accepting, poor island… gave up everything—for her. For Brienne Tarth.

It broke her heart.

Her father told her that it really was okay, and if anyone were to buy their debt, it couldn’t have been anyone better than Robert Baratheon. As a fellow Stormlander, he would respect the people, the land, and their ways.

That would be something they would never know, because not even 7 months after it was announced, Robert Baratheon died on a hunting trip. Tarth watched from afar as the Baratheon’s and the Lannister’s began tearing each other apart—Robert’s brother versus Robert’s ‘harpy’ wife.

After 3 months of bloody battle, Brienne went to her first BETS alone and now an employee of Lannister Group. Stag Silver, the victim of a hostile takeover, now belonged to the lions. Her father was a martyr—he peacefully stepdown as owner of Evenstar Marble LLC, and no one would lose their jobs. Her heart hurt the entire weekend. This entire disaster was because of her… because her island had thrown everything away to save her. And now, she was alone.

The entire time at Storm’s End, Jaime avoided her. Instead, he became the life of the party. He was always in a group of people, telling obnoxious jokes, smooshing with other CEOs and flirting with beautiful people draped in jewels. Every time she walked towards him, he turned away and found another excuse to keep from seeing her.

She had never needed the support of her friend as she did that weekend, and yet, he kept his distance. Was he suddenly embarrassed to be associated with her because they were coworkers? People would know they worked at the same company?

Margaery had tried to talk her down, but Brienne knew that had to be the case. Jaime was now ashamed of their friendship because they could see each other more. With her new position in Lannister Group, they wanted her to relocate to King’s Landing Head Quarters. He lived there… now, now they could be close friends, but he clearly couldn’t handle the idea.

She found him overlooking Shipbreaker Bay the morning she was leaving.

“Jaime.”

He turned and his malachite eyes shone against the blue of the ocean behind him. She never told him that her favorite rock had changed to malachite because of him. “Darlin’,” he acknowledged before turning back to the water. “I’m surprised you are still here. Tarth is so close; you could have just gone home every night. It’s just right over there, right?” He pointed out across the bay.

“What are you doing, Jaime?”

“Looking for Tarth.”

“T-Tarth is right here!” she shouted. He looked back, stunned at her outburst. “You ignored me all weekend, Jaime!”

“Well,” he trailed off, looking away. “My attention can’t always just go to you, darlin’. It’s a busy life, being the _golden boy_ of a now monopoly of a corporation.”

Her vision turned red as her blood ran cold. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out _her_ cherished lucky charm and threw it at his chest. “You are an ass, Jaime.”

Brienne left to return home for the last time. She moved to King’s Landing soon after, working in Lannister Group’s analytic group. She was not invited to BETS again until this year…

-

A knocking at the door interrupted her thoughts. Her horribly expensive room service must have arrived. The opening mixer was going on, but Brienne couldn’t stomach such a social situation right now. As an employee of Lannister Group, she no longer had to promote herself anymore and would not be missed.

Brienne opened the door and was met by a pair of beloved gems—malachite. “Jaime?! How did you know my room?”

He rolled his eyes and invited himself in. “Good to see you, too, darlin’.” She shut the door behind him and motioned him in. If he was going to suddenly be friendly with her, she may as well play host. “I didn’t see you at the mixer, so I just asked HR where they put you… you know, someone needs to check up on you. You have a reputation for getting in trouble in this city.”

Brienne snorted, handing him a beer from her fully stocked bar. One of their many, many conversations in the mine was their preferences for food and drink. She remembered Jaime’s being beer over wine, coffee over tea—but the coffee needed plenty of sugar and milk—, breakfast over dinner, ect… She remembered a lot about him.

Perfect, white teeth thanked her with a grin, and she felt her heart speed up. She cleared her throat and crossed her arms. “Jaime, what are you doing here?”

“I told you—”

“No, cut the bullshit. You’ve been avoiding me since I joined your family’s company, so why now? What do you want?”

“Always so straightforward. I missed that,” he murmured. He took a swig of the beer and moved over to the window.

His hair had been cut from the last time she saw him. It was the shortest she ever saw it, so short that his natural curls now stuck out in waves in an artfully tousled way. His stubble was now a fully grown-out beard, neatly trimmed to his jaw line, the color a shade darker than his golden hair. The look became him. He looked a true CEO of a continent-wide mining and jewelry conglomerate now.

“Jaime, please,” she begged. “What do you want from me? I cannot handle anymore jokes.”

He looked hurt at that, but finally turned to face her. “Fine. This is going to sound like a fucking joke, but I promise it’s not.” He huffed and began to pace back and forth.

“Jaime—”

“Marry me.”

He stopped pacing, stopping in front of her and staring into her eyes. She hoped he couldn’t see the tears beginning to form. “Get out.”

“Brienne—”

“No! I said _not_ to mock me, Jaime! I thought we had been friends once, but this?! This is… I can’t believe you would be this callous! This _cruel_! After what I told you, after what my family has lost?! I…” A sob broke from her, and she turned away.

She heard the clink of glass as he set the beer bottle down and then his hands were on her shoulders. “Darlin’... I’m garbage at this. I didn’t mean for it to come out like that, let me explain.”

A shiver went through her, but she shrugged it off, along with his hands. “Don’t call me _darlin’_! And if you won’t leave, then I will!” She shoved her feet into her flats by the door and grabbed her bag, turning to him. “You and your family’s dirty money paid for this room anyways, so it’s yours to do with what you wish.”

Slamming the door behind her, she quickly made her way to the elevators and hit the level she knew the mixer was. Maybe if she were to show her face in public, Jaime wouldn’t approach her in front of all his shareholders and investors?

This year’s opening mixer was being held in a different area, a large room and outdoor area that simulated the Water Gardens of Dorne. Pale pink marble paved the gardens and pool where everyone was gathered around, dressed in their fancy clothing and jewelry and sipping cocktails. Brienne was hit with the scent of oranges from the trees and wondered if the real Water Gardens were this magnificent, or if tourism mimicry had overshadowed it. 

“Brienne!” a feminine voice called out and Margaery came running up and gave Brienne a small hug. “I was wondering where you were. I didn’t know if you would come considering…” she trailed off.

Brienne cleared her throat and attempted to push back all that had just occurred in the back of her mind. She was good at repressing emotion and she could do it here. “Well, when Lannister Group is going to pay for it, I couldn’t pass on that.”

Margaery giggled, then began to tell her she would be showcasing her own line of rings this convention. “I wanted to focus on materials that aren’t always appreciated in rings, especially for an engagement or wedding ring.”

Brienne bit her lip, bracing at the subject. What had come over Jaime to even suggest such a thing, even as a joke, she asked herself. She nodded along with Margaery as she explained her new line of rings, but not really listening, instead trying to make sense of Jaime’s cruel jape.

A server passed by and she reached out for a champagne. Margaery squeaked and clutched her arm causing the bubbly liquid to spill over.

“Brienne! That bracelet is what inspired my line!” Margaery held her wrist in her face, as though she had never seen the piece of jewelry before. “Jaime had asked me to make sometime simple, but… what was it? ‘That spoke of the simple beauty of the earth and its strength.’”

She giggled again, releasing her hand. Brienne held it close as though she was burned. “He wanted to use valyarian steel, believe it or not! It’s not something you use for jewelry, but he had some, and he insisted on lapis lazuli. It turned out so beautiful, that it inspired me to look into more stones and metals that are sometimes overlooked.” Margaery’s large brown eyes twinkled up at her. “I knew he was making it for you. It becomes you.”

Was everyone wanting to taunt her tonight? Brienne set down the champagne, mostly spilled out, and excused herself.

“Clementine!”

Ronnet Connington, her Lannister Group coworker and former high school bully. He threw a meaty arm around her shoulders and she could smell the alcohol coming from his breath even from their height difference. She saw Ben Bushy and Edmund Ambrose on her other side.

“Where are you going Clementine? We were looking for you.”

“Get off me, Connington.” She threw his arm off and kept walking, but they kept following. 

“Well, see here, Clementine. We all were having a bet. We wanted to know just how similar you were to the _beauty_ of old. She drowned because her big ass feet, but maybe the current one would have a better chance at making it with those big ass hands and shoulders, too?” Brienne saw they had trapped her near the large pool, and time stopped. “Everyone's always afraid to be the first one in the pool. How about you be the party starter?”

And the three of them pushed her.

Water filled her nose, mouth, and lungs as she let out a silent scream. Even thrusting her long legs straight down, her head did not break the surface. Instead they began shriveling into her stomach and she curled in the fetal position as she sank to the bottom.

Just move, she begged herself. But as it had in the past, her body was again betraying her as she watched the light bounce off the top of water. Panic drove her heartbeat into an insane rhythm and increased the agony of running out of air. Dread and fear filled every cell in her body. Everything hurt and burned, it felt like she was fire rather than under the water.

Was this how her brother felt before he died? Would she join him in his death, dying in the pool of a tawdry hotel? Because Connington was right, she and Clementine of old were the same—no one would save them.

The surface of the water shattered as someone jumped in and swam straight toward her. Gold and malachite. _Jaime._

His arms wrapped around her and it took her back to the tunnels of the abandoned mine. She had held him then, to save him from the darkness. Now, he was saving her from dying.

They broke the surface and she gasped for breath, her greedy lungs trying to take in more than they could handle, and she began coughing. Jaime still held her and softly patted her back as he swam her to the edge. Hands helped her out of the pool, and she crawled on her hands and knees as she coughed and coughed until she finally vomited pool water and stomach acid. 

Margaery’s soft hands drew circles on her back, and she could hear Jaime pulling himself out of the pool and walking around, his shoes making squelching noises from being saturated. “What happened?”

No one said anything. Silence besides the background music.

He picked up an abandoned cocktail glass and threw it down. “What. The. Fuck. Happened?”

“Whoa, whoa.” Ronnet stepped forward, waving his hands to try and calm Jaime down. “It was just a bit of fun. People get pushed into the pool all the time at these kinds of things? We didn’t know she couldn’t swim, right Clementine?” He looked over at Brienne, an apologetic look on his face. “We cool? You okay?”

Jaime also looked over at Brienne but fast as lightening turned back and punched Ronnet across the face. The force of the punch knocked him into the pool where he landed with a loud slash, and the area erupted in a gasp.

“Looks like Red is first one in the pool now, everyone.” He walked over to Brienne and offered a hand. “Come on, darlin’. Let’s get out of here.”

Brienne stared up at him like a deer in the headlights, but with a motioning from Margaery, she reached out and took the offered appendage.

They took her to her room, each of them on her side like a protective layer. Margaery grabbed them both towels once they were inside and went to the kitchen to make tea. Jaime hadn’t left her side, his hand still in hers. “Brienne, are you okay?”

The water had darkened his eyelashes and made his already vivid eyes pop. She watched a drop of water disappear down his neck into the sodden collar of his burgundy suit and nodded. “Y-yeah. I will…” she sighed and tore her gaze away. “I will be fine.”

Jaime released her hand but took her towel from her hand and proceeded to wipe her face dry. “Breath with me,” he whispered so quietly, she almost didn’t hear him. “In…, and out…” Taking exaggerated breaths, he continued to gently dry off her face, neck, and hair. Brienne tried to follow along, avoiding his stare, until the towel made its way to her chest.

“I can take care of myself!” she yelped, pulling the towel away from him and backing away. “I’m okay now. You should go change and get back to the party.”

“Brienne.” He grabbed her wrist and noticed her bracelet. The look he gave her scared her, but she didn’t want to pull away. He held her with his disfigured hand, and he so rarely used it for anything. Now his thumb was softly caressing the pulse point right above the bracelet.

“I have some tea for you—oh…” Margaery walked back in, two mugs in her hands. Wide eyes at the scene before her before she gave a sly smile. Brienne gently tugged her arm free and turned to hide from that smirk. “I just got a text from Loras, seems someone is interested is seeing some franco link chain and ruby pieces from last years line. I’m just going to grab some samples for him…” Brienne spun back around, giving her a pleading look to stay, but Margaery just winked and was off.

Grumbling and running her large hands through her hair, she looked over to Jaime. He smiled at her, the same kind of smile he used to give her after they were saved from the mine tunnels. Throwing up her hands and stomping over to the steaming mug, she conceded. “Fine. Explain yourself.”

“Explain what?”

She almost chocked on the tea as she took a sip. The nerve… “Explain everything! Explain why you try so hard to-to-to… _woo me!_ Be my friend, only to drop me the moment your family has successfully taken over my family’s company along with the majority of the Stormland’s mining operations? You could have dropped me after we escaped the mines, but you didn’t.”

Taking off her ruined soaked suit jacket, she wadded the material up and threw it down in a huff. “You kept coming for me, breaking down my walls. You told me _everything_ about you, Jaime! Including the Wildfire Incident… and I believed you! I still do, even after you abandoned me! 

“Then, I get in the mail—years after I haven’t heard from you—the most beautiful bracelet, made of lapis lazuli and valyarian steel? What am I supposed to make of that, Jaime? You melted down your childhood treasure to make me a trinket? Why?”

Brienne feels the tears coming down her face now, mixing with the left-over dampness of the pool water. Jaime’s body is rattling like he is holding himself back from taking her back in his arms, and she almost wishes he would. She wants to be that kind of woman tonight, one that weeps into the shoulder of her lover as they whisper sweet nothings into her ear.

But, Brienne is not that woman.

“Why? Why did I hear from Catelyn Stark that Lannister Group is known for setting up kidnappings of rival companies to force them into debt?”

Jaime’s face drained of color and Brienne’s stomach dropped. “Oh, Jaime… please,” she wept, more tears coming now.

He walked over now and took her shoulders in his hands, forcing her to look him in the eye. “I will explain everything and more to you, Brienne.” He sighed a painful noise but continued.

“My whole life I was educated and shaped to be a paragon of Lannister values. We are the _golden_ standard. We are the lions that do not concern ourselves with the opinions of sheep.

“Yet, I never found my place in my family’s world. My siblings were born for this world, but I was not… but my father would not hear it.”

“I know this, Jaime.”

“I know you do. I know because you know _me,_ darlin’. You are my closest friend and confidant, and my family would see this as a weakness. After Robert died… I knew something was wrong. That is when I investigated the records. Our kidnapping, the ransom… it was all a fucking set up.”

He dropped his hands and stomped off, digging through her bar and pulling out a clear liquor.

Brienne stood motionless. “What do you mean a _set up_?”

Taking a shot and grimacing, Jaime offered her a shot. “We were set up, darlin’. My own father paid that Goat to take us, all to get your father to put up the money to get you freed.”

She took the shot and shook her head. “No, no. That couldn’t have worked, because they wanted to _kill me_! They wanted _you_!” Now she was pacing back and forth, quivering. Whether it was from her wet clothes or the new information, she didn’t know.

“You get what you pay for.” He took another shot. “They weren’t the cleverest of mercenaries, if you remember.”

He explained that evening his father had instructed him keep an eye on the Tarth heir, stating he wanted to create a partnership with the marble company. Jaime was to charm the owner’s daughter and find out information on her plans for taking any leadership positions. Little did he know that would involve a multi-level scheme including the Baratheon’s to lead them out of the convention center and into a trap. His inclusion in the abduction was needed to take any involvement off Lannister Group.

“So, your family did _all this_ for Tarth’s marble?! Tywin couldn’t rest until he got his precious white gold, is that is?” Jaime stayed silent, fingers playing with the rim of the shot glass. “Jaime,” she prodded.

“Did Catelyn give you all her little theories? On why her daughters were kidnapped for a ransom?”

Brienne thought, thinking of Wolf Steel and their history. The Stark’s ownership of the North gave them mass claim to some of the most rich earth on Westeros, but nothing compared to the area north of the Wall. An area that was heavily debated due to the destruction of nature it’s extraction would cause the land and its people…

“Oil.”

Jaime nodded, a sad smile on his face. “Tywin Lannister owns almost everything in this world. Gold, silver, diamonds, and even marble. But he wanted black gold, and he found out about the mass oil reserve beneath Tarth’s cliffs. Your sapphire isle became his island of literal gold.”

Her own family knew about the oil beneath Tarth for ages now, but it was determined that it’s mining would destroy what Tarth stood for. Sapphire waters would become polluted, the fishing industry would disappear with the poisoned marine life, and the fresh air would be tainted and turn the green trees a sickly brown.

“That can’t happen,” she turned to him. “What can I do? This is my fault, I—”

He took her hands in his and she looked down to meet his face. “It’s not your fault. It’s _my_ fault, my family’s… but, I can fix it. I just need you to trust me again.” He touched the bracelet again. “I hope I’m not assuming, but you took back my token of friendship… maybe you can forgive me for giving you the cold shoulder?”

“I trust you. I always have.”

He trembled from her words. “Then marry me, darlin’.”

-

Changed out of their wet clothes, hand-in-hand they walked down The Snake.

“So, which novelty place shall it be, darlin’? Shall we be married by the great, late singer, Oberyn “The Prince” Martell? Or maybe at the Hall of Snakes? They cover you in snakes during the ceremony?”

“You are ridiculous. This is ridiculous! I… We should try to find another way.”

He stopped, tugging her to a standstill with him. “What? You don’t want to be my wife?” He blinked up at her innocently, his lovely green eyes twinkling up at her.

“It’s not that,” she blushed and began walked again, pulling him with. “Just, is this really the best plan you could come up with? Wouldn’t you want to marry someone you… are in love with?”

“This is the best plan, I told you. My father has yet to change the company from a sole proprietorship, and by my brilliant acting from the past few years, he believes me ready to start taking more control over Lannister Group.”

Jaime had explained that he began to take on more responsibility over the years and was granted an executive position over Stag Silver’s assets after their take over. This included Evenstar Marble. Jaime had also clarified that is why he began keeping his distance from her, in the event his father found out just how close they were, saying, “I didn’t want him to hurt you anymore.”

He squeezed her hand. “As for marrying for love… I have my darlin’ with me.”

“Jaime…” There was no way, no one could love _her_.

He chortled and again stopped, pointing to another themed church. “Look! A _Clementine_ -themed wedding venue! How fitting!”

“And this wedding is off.” She walked off, scowling as he followed behind and pulling on her arm.

“I’m joking! You could never be Clementine, because she didn’t have a dashing knight that actually tried to save her from the river,” he pushed up on his toes and placed a light kiss to her scarred cheek. “I will jump into any water to save my darlin’, just like she saves me from the darkness.”

“Oh…” she placed a hand to her cheek and coyly looked away.

“Come on, let’s go to the church. My brother is there with the paperwork and Margaery has the rings.” He took her hand again and lead on.

“Wait? You already have a church booked? What one? And rings? Jaime!”

-

The themed church was ancient Sunspear. 

Paintings lined the church of the once great walled city that glittered amongst the desert sand and stood out brilliantly against the bright sky and large white clouds that encased the slender Spear Tower and the domed Tower of the Sun. It drew you in with it is sparkling buildings, promises of victory and seduced those with its tales of power. 

A septon of the Faith of the Seven stood dressed in traditional Dornish robes. Jaime stood waiting for his warrior princess, dressed up as Lord Mors Martell. Brienne entered, coming down the aisle dressed as Nymeria of the Rhoyne and her skin more flushed than she ever believed it had been in her entire life.

Margaery gave her a thumbs up from the front row, her other hand recording the event. Next to her was Jaime’s younger brother. She had heard many stories of him, and now, being bound to him via marriage, expected to learn much more about him. Even Sander was there, standing off in the back row, but he nodded to her.

Jaime gaped at her at the front of the alter, looking annoying handsome in his lordly attire.

If Brienne were to ever to be married in a themed church—which was very much happening at the moment—she was happy it was a historical one. She could imagine the real Nymeria taking Lord of the Martell as her husband before they went on to conquer Dorne together. It was almost… _romantic_ as she took the parallels of their lives and their own. After this, Jaime and she would take on Lannister Group together. And they would win.

“With this kiss I pledge my love, darlin’” Jaime whispered before gingerly taking her head in his hands and pulling her to his lips. His beard tickled her nose and his lips were soft, but Brienne could hardly feel anything else. Everything felt amazing as energy zoomed through every nerve ending and she pressed back against him.

Obnoxious hooting from both Margaery and Jaime’s brother broke them apart and Brienne was tempted to burrow her face into Jaime’s shoulder. The septon just rolled his eyes, clearly used to this kind of behavior from spur-of-the-moment weddings off The Snake.

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur and the next thing she knew, Brienne had a perfectly sized ring on her finger. White gold with an oval malachite and diamond accents. The one she held in her hands for Jaime was gold, an Art Nouveau design, and an oval lapis lazuli.

She tilted her head, and he chuckled. “I thought we could trade our favorite rocks? To remind each other of… our friendship.”

Now she laughed. “I actually changed my favorite to malachite, so this works out perfectly for me.” She slipped the ring onto his finger and he caught her hand in his, weaving their fingers together.

“Same, I switched my favorite as well.”

-

After the ceremony, Jaime’s brother immediately jumped up with his briefcase and threw down reams of paper next to their marriage license for Brienne to sign.

Margaery ran over too, to admire her creations on their fingers and to give congratulations. “This is such an amazing night! So much better than the last time in Sunspear, right?”

“Yes, corporate espionage is always great fun,” deadpanned Jaime, but he smiled. “At least this time, we will be the ones pulling one over my father and not the other way around.”

Because Tarth Marble LLC was still classified as a sole proprietorship, and Jaime was chief executive of the Stormland assets, he could transfer the business to a spouse without the input of shareholders or directors. Thus, with the flick of a pen, Tarth Marble LLC would be under Brienne Tarth’s name and she would hold complete ownership.

After going through everything, and Jaime’s brother authenticating the documents, it was done.

Brienne looked to Jaime, her savior, her friend… her husband. “I can never thank you enough for this. I… I am so happy.”

“Yes, I know I am quite the catch, darlin’,” he teased, patting her shoulder. She snorted and wiped at her eyes. “Seriously Brienne, I am happy to do it. Thank you, for showing me that I can break free.”

She furrowed her brows, confused, then Margaery broke in, “Jaime! Did you sign your name Jaime _Tarth_ on the marriage certificate?!”

Everyone turned to Jaime as he shrugged. “I figured it was time to fragment from the Lannister name completely, if I am fragmenting pieces of their industry.” He turned to Brienne and took her hand, playing with the bracelet he had sent her. “If that is okay with you, darlin’. I think I would like to see marble mining with my own eyes. It sounds like an amazing process and what I like most of all is its all above ground.”

“I… I would like that very much, _darlin’_ ,” she responded, putting her hand on top of his. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!   
> As we are soon to reveal ourselves, I don't feel so bad for saying I have never posted for this pairing before. It has been utterly terrifying putting myself up there with some of the best authors I have literally ever read in fanfiction before. (Seriously, the JaimexBrienne world of fanfiction is perfection *chefs kiss*). You all make my day, everyday! 
> 
> I want to again shout out to my gorgeous, brilliant, and super smart roommate who was my willing/voluntold beta. They read this thing beginning to end, listened to me whine and sob over feelings, and sat there patiently as I waxed poetic of Jaime and Brienne's characteristics and relationship. 
> 
> Happy -almost- Author Reveal Day!


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